Manufacture of synthetic fibers



June 24, 1941- J. J. SCHILTHUIS ET AL 2 99 MANUFACTURE OF SYNTHETIC FIBERS Filed July 27, 1958 1 Patented June 24, 1941 mirro STATES PATENT OFFICE MANUFACTURE OF SYNTHETIQ FIBERS JanJ. Schilthuis and Johan D. Hubbeli'ng, Enka, N. 0., assignors to American Enka Corporation, Enka, N. 6., a corporation of Delaware Application July 27, 1938. 1s'er1 ia No.j-22 1,6i5] j 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a process of and apparatus for producing wound thread packages, and more particularly the invention is directed to the production of packages formed from rayon or any other type of synthetic fiber by the bobbin 'spinning process in which the freshly formed thread is wound upon collecting bobbins in such acondition that it is permeable to the treating liquids to which such thread is subjected during the after treating procedures.

It is generally recognized that advantages result from the gradual shortening of the length of stroke of the traverse guide during the winding of a thread package which is to be subjected to after treatment, since such shortening of the stroke will cause slanting or conical ends to be formed on the package by the thread layers. This practice of producing conical ends during the formation of the layers of thread has the advantage of avoiding over-winding with re- .sultant entanglement of the thread at the ends .of the layers.

A number of mechanisms have been constructred for the purpose of controlling the stroke of the :traverse guide in such a way that conical ends will be formed on the thread package being wound, but the use of such mechanisms in the conventional way has not been found to be entirely satisfactory for the reason that packages so formed are not readily permeable to the after treating liquids. This objectionable characteristic is encountered particularly in the outer portions of the wound packages. It has been found that in the conventional use of a traverse guide driven by a stroke shortening mechanism, the angle between the thread being wound into the package and the axis of the bobbin increases during the building up of the package to such an extent that the crosswind of the outer portions of the resultant package is not sufiiciently open for proper after treatment. 1

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for operating a traversing thread guide in such relation with respect to the as specified, to thereby provide a thread package in which the crosswind is relatively open.

Additionally, the invention has as an object the provision of mechanism for winding thread such as rayon on foraminated or collapsible bobbins in such a manner that, upon properly positioning the packa e, the after treating fluid utilized in treating the rayon may be passed uniformly therethro l hr to thereby effect uniform treatment of the thread forming the respective convolutions with a resultant saving in the time and in the material consumed in the after treating operation.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying 7 drawing wherein:

The present procedure is advantageous in the winding of thread into package form in any instances wherein an open crosswind is desired in the package when wound with a variable stroke traverse guide. While this procedure is particularly beneficial due to the necessity for after treatmen of synthetic fibers formed from spinning solutions by the well known processes, only a detailed discussion of the present Winding mechanism is necessary for a full understanding of the invention.

In referring to the drawing in detail, a spinneret is illustrated at [U for the formation of filaments H by the extrusion therethrough of a spinning solution, such as a cellulosic. solution, supplied from a suitable source (not shown). Filaments or thread II are conducted to a collecting spool or bobbin l2 and a traversing guide I3 is utilized to direct-the thread longitudinally along the spoolas the thread is collected thereon due to the rotation of .the spool. Spool I2 is preferably driven at a gradually decreasing rotary speed in order'that the peripheral or winding speed of the package will be constant. The spool may be driven by any of the well known mechanisms.

A main drive shaft I4 is utilized todrive the traverse thread guide l3 in a manner independent of the control in the change in the length 'of its stroke and also its frequency of traverse. In the form of mechanism illustrated a change speed mechanism 15 known as the Reeves drive is utilized, the change speed mechanism being provided with a sprocket 16 over which is passed a chain I! which at its opposite end rides upon a sprocket l8 keyed to shaft l4. While the invention has been illustrated in connection with a change speed mechanism of the Reeves drive type, it is to be understood that any suitable change speed mechanism may be used in substitution therefor.

Shaft I4 is operated at a constant predetermined R. P. M. and a shaft I9 of the change speed mechanism to which sprocket I6 is keyed is accordingly operated at a constant R.P. M. A pair of cones are keyed to but mounted for longitudinal movement upon shaft l9 and a belt 2| is mounted so that its edges are in engagement with the cones. A pair of cones 22 similar to cones are keyed to and mounted for longitudinal movement upon a shaft 23 which latter mentioned cones are engaged by the belt 2| in the same manner that the belt engages cones 20.

Levers 24 and 25 are positioned on opposite sides of the belt 2| and cones 20 and Hand these levers are pivoted midway between shafts l9 and 23. Each of the levers 24 and 25 is secured to the hub of an adjacent cone of each set, in a manner to cause the cones to be moved longitudinally of their respective shafts as the levers are "pivoted. Itwill be seen that if the levers are pivoted so that the cones 20 are caused to approach each other, then the cones 22 will be caused to recede from each other to an equivalent extent. Such action will cause the belt 2! to remain taut but will result in a change in the relative speeds of shafts l9 and 23.

Levers 24 and 25 extend upwardly beyond cones 22 and their upper ends are provided with oppositely threaded means in which are contained appropriate threaded portions of a shaft 26. Shaft 23 is caused to be rotated at a constant speed, since the power therefor is derived from constant speed shaft I9. More explicitly, asprocket 21 keyed to shaft I9 is utilized to operate a speed reducer 28 through the medium of'a chain 29 which rides upon sprocket 2Tand a sprocket 30 of the speed reducer. Driven shaft 3| of the speed reducer carries a spur gear 32 which gear meshes with gear 33 on shaft 26 andtherefore'the operation of shaft l9 causes a very much reduced but constant speed of shaft 26. r

Any of the Well known stroke modifying mechanisms for controlling the length of the traverse stroke of thread guide l3 may be utilized in the practicing of this invention. One such mechanism which is suitable is described in United States Patent No. 1,869,055 issued to Antonie Jacobus Engel. Therefore, a suitable traverse guide operating, and stroke shortening mechanism' is, represented at 34. Mechanism 34 is mounted upon shaft 35 and shaft/35 is'caused to be'rotated'by means of variably rotating shaft 23 through the medium: of a sprocket 36 keyed to shaft 23, a sprocket 31 and a chain 38 'mounted toride upon saidsprockets. 7

Thread guide I3 is formed With an arm39 whichissecured to shaft 40, and anothenarm4l issecured to shaft 43in such relation that itsend engages with a cam 42 of the mechanism'designated generally at 34.

In the utilization of this invention,-at;the initiatien oi a complete spinning period the usual spinning pumps are set in motion and the filainents an extruded :through the spinneret IIJ, The thread or'ffila'm'ents Il,- after being coagu lat-Jed, is contacted with the thread guide l3 and the end of the thread is wrapped over the spool l2. Since at the beginning of the usual winding operation the spool is free of thread, the mechanism 34 is set so that the stroke of the traverse guide will extend to the outer dimensions of the package being formed. At this stage in the winding period the cones 20 of the change speed mechanism are positioned wide apart, while the cones 22 are positioned correspondingly close, this p0- sitioning of the respective cone being controlled by the movement of shaft 26 and attached levers 24 and 25. The cones are set to effect a predetermined initial speed of shaft 35 upon the rotation of driving shaft l4.

The I, complete winding period usually consumes several hours and the position of the cam 42 'of the mechanism 34 is gradually modified during this winding period so that the crown of the cam is gradually moved toward the center of rotation while the valley of the cam is accordingly moved in a direction away from the center of rotation. While the crown of the cam is always maintained a much greater distance from the center of rotation than is the valley thereof, this modification in the position of the cam causes the traverse guide to move in a path which is gradually reduced at both ends. Therefore, while the thread guide is initially moved in a wide path the gradual reduction in the width of the path causes the thread to be so Wound that the package being produced is formed with conical ends.

During the above described operation of the stroke shortening mechanism {or the traverse guide, the shaft 26 is slowly rotated through the 7 medium of shaft l9, sprocket '21, chain 29, sprocket 30, the reduction gearing '28, shaft 3| and gears 32 and 33. The movement of shaft 26 gradually causes cones -20 to approach each other while cones 22 are retracted and therefore, the relationship of belt 21 with respect to the cones as a result of the constant drive speed of shaft l4 causes shaft 23 to rotate at a gradually increasing speed and shaft 35 .to proportionately increase in speed of .rotation dueto theconnection of gears 36' and 3Tby chain'38.

The gradualincrease in the-speed of shaft 35 is predeterminedandas cam 42 is .keyed to rotate at the same speed as-shaft35, the frequency or periodicity of traverse ofthethreadguide by the cam is accordingly increased. The rate of increase'in frequency of "traverse movementof the guide 'is substantially inversely proportional to the decrease in the length of the traverse stroke.

Since,in accordance with thevpresent invention, the frequency of 'the traverse guide 'is increased'during the winding operation, ,the number of's'trokesperunit of length of the threadincreases proportionately. This would normally cause -'a'n objectionable-' build-up in the center of the package dne to the larger number of convolutions'formedr Accordingly, an adjustment of the stroke shortening :cam is necessary. This may be accomplished usually by decreasing-the speed at which the -:crown of :the cam move toward-its center of rotation.

-While. the mechanism illustrated has been shown inconnection with the .winding of thread upon-a single-spool, it is to be understoodthat the mechanism illustrateddn plant practice will ,be utilized in connection with :the simultaneous winding ofaplurality of spools.

-What Welclaimis: I

-,1 ."In a threadiwindingrmachine, awthreadz-collector whichis driven ata decreasing-rotary speed to impart a constant peripheral speed to a package as it is formed thereon, a thread guide mounted to traverse the collector, means for traversing the thread guide across the face of the collector, means for decreasing the stroke of the thread guide during the winding-on operation, and means for synchronously increasing the frequency of traverse as the traverse stroke is decreased while maintaining the speed of traverse substantially constant.

2. A method of winding rayon thread on a collector in the form of a package having conical ends comprising withdrawing and collecting a thread at a uniform rate of speed from a source of supply, axially guiding succeeding lengths of thread onto the said collector to form successive layers of gradually decreasing length and maintaining constant throughout the winding operation, the angle made by the axis of the said collector with respect to the thread as it is delivered thereto by increasing the frequency of the traverse stroke while maintaining the speed of traverse constant as the length of the successive layers decreases.

3. In a thread winding machine, a thread collector, means for winding thread upon said collector at a uniform rate of speed, a thread guide mounted to traverse the collector, means for traversing the thread guide across the face of the collector, means for decreasing the traverse stroke of the thread guide during the winding-on operation and means for gradually increasing the frequency of the traverse guide While maintaining the speed of traverse constant whereby the angle made by the axis of the said collector with respect to the thread as it is delivered thereto is the same throughout the winding-on operation.

JAN J. SCHILTHUIS. JOHAN D. W. HUBBELING. 

